Flight Schools

Most pilots I know started off simply dreaming of flight.  They would stare at the sky as an airplane would fly over.  They would slow down and sometimes even stop every-time they drove by the airport.  They may even install Microsoft Flight Simulator or go into the world of R/C aircraft.  But, the yearning to fly isn’t completely satisfied until they take the plunge and head over to one of their local flight schools for a their first flight.  It may be a discovery flight or just a scenic trip around the area to see what it’s like.  Either way, this is when they get bitten.

Maybe you’re at that point and you’ve got the bug.  You’re ready to fulfill that life-long dreaming of being a pilot.  But, where do you start?  What do you need to complete your flight training and how much is it going to cost?  How long until you get to fly the plane yourself, solo and eventually call yourself a licensed private pilot?  These are all the questions floating around in your head and we have the answers for you.

Before you get too far in your head, you’re going to want to spend some quality time deciding where you’re going to take your flying lessons.  The natural tendency is to head over to the closest airport and find “the flight school.”  That’s a lot like rolling a giant pair of dice, hoping you get the perfect school in your first shot.  Don’t do it.  You could get lucky and find the perfect school at the right price with incredible flight instructors.  But, you don’t know, so don’t risk it.  Follow along and I’ll try to help you narrow down your search a little bit.

First of all, there are two types of flight schools allowed by the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA.  Part 61 and Part 141 flight schools.  These are both named after the sections that regulate their operation in the FAR/AIM or Federal Aviation Regulations and Aeronautical Information Manual.  These both lay out what each school is allowed to do and what you need to accomplish as a student pilot before you can take your practical exam or “checkride.”

The most common flight school is called a part 61 school.  If you open up the FAR/AIM and turn to part 61 you’ll see there isn’t much there to control how these schools are operated.  Part 61 really covers what you need to know and be capable of as a student pilot.  It also dictates how many hours of overall flight time you need to have done as well as how many hours solo and duel have been performed.  Don’t get me wrong, part 61 schools still have tight regulations and must perform up to some very strict standards to stay in business.  The FAA just lets them accomplish the training without very much regulation.

Because part 61 schools are more loosely controlled, the FAA requires students at these school to undergo a bit more flight training before they finish.  You’ll be required to complete a total of 40 or more hours rather than the 35 hours required at a part 141 school.  The truth is, regardless of whether you’re going to a part 61 or party 141, you’ll most likely do more than 40 hours before your instructor feels you’re ready for your checkride, so it may be a moot point at this level of your training.

Part 141 flight schools are very closely regulated and the FAA gives strict guidelines as to how the classes are conducted, how many instructors must be present and even what to teach and in what order.  Because the FAA feels they have more control over these schools, they will allow a student to finish up in 35 hours.  I’m sure their has been more than one person who’s done this, it’s definitely not the norm. Because there is more structure to a part 141 school, there’s also more overhead.  As you can imagine this overhead is going to be passed on to you, the student pilot.  But, with the reduced hours requirement, this may be completely mitigated.

I completed my basic flight training at the local part 61 school and feel I received very good training.  However, as I move on to my instrument flight training, I’m strongly considering using a part 141 school because it can save me a considerable amount of money.  Make sure you weigh the cost of both options.  It’s often going to be more affordable at a part 141 school once you move on to your more advanced ratings.  If you’re looking at a career as a commercial pilot and plan on going on to ATP flight school, you’ll almost certainly be going to a par 141 program.

Finding a Certified Flight Instructor isn’t always easy.  Well, I should say, finding a good one who’s passionate about teaching isn’t all easy.  The truth is, most flight instructors are young pilots who are trying to build their hours so they have the experience they need to go on to one of the regional airlines.  Flight instructor is the first stepping stone on their way to a career as a professional pilot.  Some of the instructors are doing this and STILL very excited about teaching.  But, so are just “doing their time.”  Ask around the school for some recommendations and don’t be pressured into going with one instructor just because you met him and he was very nice to you.  Tell him you’re still in the research phase and will give him a call if you decide to use him.

Once you do find the right instructor; someone you get along with, respect their knowledge and feel you can spend many hours with in close quarters, don’t stop asking about the other instructors.  It’s extremely common for a student pilots to go through several CFI’s (Certified Flight Instructor) before they finish their flight training.  So, always keep another instructor in the wings so when they day hits you’re not left high and dry.

With all this work going into finding the perfect school with just the right instructor, remember it really comes down to you and your passion to learn how to be the best pilot possible.  There are plenty of great pilots who’ve come out of “ok” schools and lots of “ok” pilots who’ve come out of fantastic schools.  The training you get is largely dependent on how much effort you put into the process.  Ready, study, ask questions and learn all you can.

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